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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24326056">They've Got Chemistry (Class)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PipTheMagnificent/pseuds/PipTheMagnificent'>PipTheMagnificent</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Endgame Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, F/M, Fluff, Haha I think I'm funny because they meet in chemistry, Luka is smooth, They have real chemistry, Unbetaed: We Die Like Men</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:34:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,047</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24326056</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PipTheMagnificent/pseuds/PipTheMagnificent</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette is late to class. When she asks the guy who sits next to her, Luka, for the notes she missed, she doesn't expect to get a 'study' date out of it. But, chemistry is chemistry...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>173</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>They've Got Chemistry (Class)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Marinette was determined to pass Chemistry. She had been forced into taking the class to fulfill her required science credit, and so help her, she was not going to have to retake the class because she failed! </p><p>So far, she had been doing pretty well. She arrived to class every day on time, sat in her seat at the very top of the big lecture hall, and typed notes on her laptop, copying from the slides. (And if she occasionally scrolled through social media, who would even know? Besides the guy who sat next to her. But he was always too busy writing his own notes out in his journal to notice.)</p><p>But sooner or later, Marinette knew she’d mess up. Chem was relatively early, at noon, and she had been up until 5 last night working on her piece for the Basics of Design class she was in. So of course, given her penchant for sleep and her late night, she had overslept. It was now 12:10 as she dashed across campus. </p><p>She tried to make herself as small as possible as she walked into the lecture, and the professor just gave her a small nod, so she guessed she didn’t do too badly, but she felt guilty. She had actually been trying!</p><p>Marinette slid into her seat, breathing a little heavier than normal. She pulls out her laptop and phone, and leaning over to her seatmate, asks “Can I snap a quick picture of your notes so I can copy them down later? I overslept…”</p><p>She knows he must have them, as he is constantly writing during class, and they’ve exchanged pleasantries before. His name is Luka and he always has wireless earbuds in, playing quiet music as a background while he jots down notes.</p><p>So she’s surprised when he laughs quietly and says “Go ahead, but I doubt they’ll help. ”</p><p>He slides the black journal over towards her, and she scoots her chair closer. </p><p>She’s confused as to why they wouldn’t help until she actually looks at the notebook. The writing she had thought was chemistry notes was a mishmash of scribbles. </p><p>Immediately her eyes are drawn to the huge snake curling diagonally around the page, but the longer she looks at it, the more she notices. </p><p>The snippet of song lyrics that reads “a failed sort of sunshine attitude” and has a bubble drawn around it with a note above it- add to chorus of song 2. The small reminder in the corner- listen to this song- and a quote: “I swear to god I wasn’t born to fight/well maybe just a little bit/ enough to make me sick of it”. The little caricature of their teacher, complete with giant bifocals and goatee. A doodle of endless flower petals that takes up the whole corner of the page. </p><p>Marinette sees inspiration in the pages of these notebooks. Images of snakes and words embroidered on denim flash in her mind, and she pushes the notebook back to him. “Well, it may not be chemistry, but I have to say it was still helpful.”</p><p>He looks at her quizzically. “These scribbles helpful? Most people can’t even translate my handwriting.”</p><p>“Well, me either. My friend Alya always says my handwriting looks like chicken scratch.” She pulls out a pink notebook with lots of bookmarks hanging out, and the pages fall open to a well worn spot. </p><p>Luka leans in and looks at her notebook. It’s not unlike his own.</p><p>It’s filled with little sketches of design details, glued in fabric swatches, and bulleted notes that get progressively messier as they go on, like the writer couldn’t keep up with the flow of ideas. </p><p>“It’s true,” he says. “Your handwriting is terrible.”</p><p>“Stop,” she laughs, and swats him on the arm gently.</p><p>The girl in front of them turns around and glares at them. </p><p>“Can you have your conversation outside of class? SOME of us actually care about our grades.”</p><p>Marinette opens her mouth, ready to shoot back a clever defense, when Luka places a calming hand on her arm. She frowns, knowing he’s right, and lets it go. </p><p>She opens her laptop and tries to focus on taking notes, but she finds herself getting distracted by the flashes of blue in the corners of her eye. </p><p>When the sheet of looseleaf with something written on it is pushed over to her, she knows she won’t be able to focus at all, and gives up on lecture for today, peeking down at the sheet. </p><p><em><em>Want to continue our conversation? I can fill you in on what you missed at the start of class today. My next class is at 5.</em></em>  is written on the sheet.</p><p>Marinette smiles happily down at the paper. </p><p>
  <em><em>Definitely! I have a class at 3, but maybe we can grab a coffee or something? I need coffee to deal with chemistry. </em>She includes a little doodle of a face with its tongue sticking out at the mention of chem.</em>
</p><p>She slides it back and sits there, looking forward but focused on waiting for the sheet. </p><p>There it is. She pounces. </p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Do you know the little cafè, the one with the garden like five minutes away from campus? We could get lunch while we talk if you’re good with that.</em>
  </em>
</p><p><em><em>I love that place! </em></em>She writes back. <em><em>Sounds good. </em></em></p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Okay great! We can walk there after class. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <em>Yeah, I just realized I’m actually starving so that’s perfect. Only thirty minutes to go! Also, question- how do you take notes if you aren’t writing them down?</em>
  </em>
</p><p>She peeks over at Luka as he is answering her. His tongue is sticking out of his mouth slightly, and he presses the pen down heavily as he writes. He’s absolutely adorable, and she wonders how she didn’t notice sooner. </p><p>He looks up and sees her watching him, and he winks, turning her insides to jello. </p><p>
  <em>
    <em>I record them on my phone and use an app to transcribe them later. It’s a lot easier for me, as listening to things always gets them in my head better. </em>
  </em>
</p><p>She reads it, and then nods in understanding, looking at him. He moves his shaggy hair so she can see the earbud in there, and murmurs “See? Listening to things does the trick.”</p><p>She smiles, he smiles back, and then she turns forwards and tries unsuccessfully to focus on the rest of the lesson. </p><p>Thirty long minutes later, she is walking out of the Science hall with Luka next to her, squinting into the bright spring sunshine. </p><p>“Here,” Luka says, and holds out the aviators she’s seen him wear a few times. </p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Yeah, I don’t need them right now. You can wear them on the walk over.”</p><p>Kind and cute, Marinette thought. She was such a goner. “Thanks.”</p><p>“So,” he starts, “I’m guessing you’re a designer?”</p><p>“How’d you guess?” Marinette says driely, and he laughs. “Yeah, the journal is one of many, but this one in particular is for my Decorative Techniques and Embellishments class. We have a project coming up, so I’m kinda frantic scrambling for ideas right now.”</p><p>“Is that what the fabric scraps are for? What are you making?</p><p>“I was thinking of making a skirt, but your notebook inspired me. I don’t really know yet, the ideas haven’t coalesced, but I may try doing a denim jacket.” </p><p>She looks over to see if he looks bored, but he’s looking at her intently as they walk. </p><p>“I may do a combination of fabric paint, embroidery, and beading. If I could paint the background, and then embroider flowers and bead the snake I think that would work out well…” </p><p>Marinette starts drifting off into the jacket she’s constructing in her head.</p><p>When they make it to the cafè, Luka has to grab her elbow to get her to stop walking. </p><p>“Oh!” She says, coming out of the creative cloud. “God, I just talked your ears off about heading, of all things. I’m so sorry, you must be so bored.”</p><p>He grins at her as they’re led to the table, which is located in the corner of the garden. </p><p>“I liked it. It’s cool to see other’s creative processes, you know? Inspiring in a way.”</p><p>They sit down, and she hands back his sunglasses with a quick thank you. </p><p>She smooths down her skirt. “So, what do I inspire you to do?” </p><p>He dangles an arm off his chair casually. “I write music. I’m in a band called Kitty Section.” </p><p>“Wait, Kitty Section? I know the bassist, Juleka, so I’ve been to a few gigs! Which instrument do you play?”</p><p>Luka smiles widely. “I’m the guitarist, but Jules is actually my little sister.”</p><p>“Really?” Marinette gasps. “I didn’t know that! You look so different.”
</p><p>“We don’t have the same dad.” He frowned. Clearly a sore subject. “But it doesn’t make us any less than full siblings. My mom raised us both alone, and we are siblings, no matter who our dads are.”</p><p>Marinette doesn’t really know what to say. Although she doesn’t see anything wrong with this, she can tell he probably doesn’t want to talk about it anymore, so she fiddles with her glass of water for a second before deciding on “Your mom sounds great. And I love the band! That one song especially, the one that goes like bum bum bum, buh de da dah…” she tapped out a rhythm on the table. </p><p>He laughs, and Marinette feels an odd spark of pride in making him laugh like that, so open and honest. He never shows this side of himself in class. Probably because they haven’t really talked that much, but still. </p><p>“Slither?” He hums a few bars quietly. “I wrote that one. I’m glad you like it.” </p><p>“Like? I love that song! I made Juleka send me it on Spotify so I could add it to my hype playlist.”</p><p>“I’m honored,” he says slyly, looking very pleased with himself. </p><p>Marinette rolls her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t get a big head.”</p><p>“I’d never. I’ve got to be careful, you know.”</p><p>She cocks her head curiously. “Why?”</p><p>He smirks. “The crown for best songwriter ever may not fit.”</p><p>“You did not! Luka!” </p><p>The conversation flows easily after that, and they don’t say a word about chemistry. Marinette only realizes that two hours have gone by when her fifteen minute alarm for her next class beeps.</p><p>She looks down at her phone and turns it off, slipping it back into her backpack. </p><p>“I have to run, but this was so much fun! I’m really glad I was late today.”</p><p>He smiles at her, blue eyes crinkling. “Me too. Can I pay?”</p><p>She smiles right back. “Nope.”</p><p>His face falls a bit. “Wait, but-”</p><p>“You can pay tomorrow,” she says, sticking out her tongue as she stands to go to the register. </p><p>And the smile is back. Marinette can’t focus at all in her next class, and Danielle, her closest friend there, has to nudge her a few times to get her to pay attention. </p><p>She can’t help it. She just keeps thinking of that smile, and the hair she wants to run her fingers through, and the music coming from the earbuds that she wants to hear. </p><p>The next day, Marinette is very much on time for chemistry, and she dressed a little nicer than normal. </p><p>She walks into the classroom, and up to her seat in the back, next to where a grinning Luka is sitting. </p><p>“Hey.” </p><p>“Hey.” </p><p>Class starts then, so they don’t talk any more. That’s normal for the class. </p><p>What isn’t is the sheet of paper that Luka slides to Marinette, with one earbud resting on top of it. </p><p>Marinette picks up the earbud, and puts it in. </p><p>She smiles when she realizes what song is playing. It’s Slither, the one she had told him she loved yesterday. <em>He remembered.</em> She looks down at the note. </p><p><em><em>Looking forward to paying today </em></em>is written next to a smiley face. </p><p>He does pay that day. </p><p>And half the days after that, because Marinette won’t allow him to pay every time. </p><p>Eventually any pretense of meeting to discuss chemistry is dropped, and the ‘study’ dates turn into real dates.</p><p>Although, Marinette never did get those notes...</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I apologize for all my cheesy chemistry puns. </p><p>All the good chemistry jokes Argon. </p><p>Okay, now I'm really done!</p><p>Thanks for reading! Come say hi on <a href="https://pipthemagnificentwrites.tumblr.com/">Tumblr!</a></p><p>Comments and kudos are appreciated!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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